The Stylish Eatery République Opens in a Storied Los Angeles Space

The high-ceilinged main dining area of chefs Margarita and Walter Manzke’s Los Angeles restaurant République.

Last year, when husband-and-wife chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke took over the 1920s Los Angeles building that had been home to the famed restaurant Campanile, the couple knew they were in for a culinary and design challenge. Built in 1929 for Charlie Chaplin, the Spanish-style structure was transformed into Campanile in 1989. The eatery quickly established itself as a standard-setter for L.A.’s farm-to-table food scene and remained among the city’s favorite dining spots for more than two decades, until it closed in 2012.

Building on that fabled past is the Manzkes’ contemporary French restaurant République, which opened to the public last November. To make the space their own, the Manzkes, along with their partner, restaurateur Bill Chait, carried out a sensitive revamp of the property with the help of architect Osvaldo Maoizzi. “My vision was to take the building and make it look more like it did when it was originally built,” Walter says. “We tried to put materials in that would have been used in that time period, with the exception of the kitchen.”

The front section, equipped with communal seating for a casual, laid-back feel, doubles as a café-bakery during the day and a bar at night.

The team focused on renovating the structure to reflect its 1920s architecture, enhancing it with restored period light fixtures and reclaimed-wood tables that add to the sense of history and grandeur. They imbued the front area with Provençal charm, employing white brick walls, geometric tile flooring, and thick reclaimed-wood banquet-style tables to highlight its rustic character. Adding to the easygoing vibe is a mix of communal and traditional seating—including barstools that feature metalwork bases by Walter’s brother and wood seats by his father. In contrast, the back room offers an intimate dining experience in a slightly more polished and modern setting.

The restaurant’s back room offers a more traditional dining experience.

By day République’s front area doubles as a café-bakery, showcasing Margarita’s artisanal breads and pastries alongside breakfast, brunch, and lunch menus. At night the space becomes a vibrant wine bar, complete with charcuterie, an oyster bar, and an eclectic cocktail program helmed by Julian Cox protégé Erik Lund.

With République, the Manzkes have breathed new life into the storied location, reinterpreting the space while respectfully nodding to the building's history.